10405 Best Sights in USA

A 5-mile climb into an alpine basin with three pretty lakes, this steep and strenuous hike takes five to six hours round-trip. Difficult.

Known for his line of popular sparkling wines using the French méthode champenoise, winemaker Tom Stolzer also produces still wines made from Rhône- and Mediterranean-type varietals such as Syrah and Cabernet. Be sure to try the red wine infused with chocolate. Tastings are offered daily, live music on Friday nights April through October, and jazz concerts are presented weekends May through September.

This unique museum has more than 100 carriages amassed by James R. Thrasher, a local blacksmith's son who made a small fortune in business. The vehicles vary from those meant to carry royalty to ones typical of a fruit seller.

The Three Chiefs Culture Center (formerly The People's Center) allows you to experience the rich cultural heritage of the Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d'Oreille tribes. The Center includes artifacts, photographs, and recordings; runs educational programs; and offers guided interpretive tours, outdoor traditional lodges, and annual festivals. A gift shop sells both traditional and nontraditional work by local artists and craftspeople.

Dahlonega's first family-farm winery has 20 acres of plantings, including Cabernet Franc, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay, along with American varietals such as Cynthiana-Norton. The relaxed winery is named for nearby Three Sisters Mountain, visible from the farm's gazebo. The tasting room is decorated with folk art and pottery from the area, including a poster that proclaims "Thar's Wine in Them Thar Hills." A favorite from the winery is the robust Fat Boy Red.

A vast area that stretches from the edge of the Black Hills almost to the center of Wyoming, Thunder Basin truly is the outback of America. Except for a handful of tiny towns, deserted highways, and coal mines, it is entirely undeveloped. Farmers from the east settled this area at the end of the 19th century, hoping to raise crops in the semiarid soil. Experienced only with the more humid conditions east of the Rockies, the farmers failed, and the region deteriorated into a dust bowl. Most of the land has reverted to its natural state, creating millions of acres of grasslands filled with wildlife. Among the many species is one of the largest herds of pronghorn in the world (numbering approximately 26,000), prairie dogs, and burrowing owls that live in abandoned prairie-dog holes. Highway 116, Highway 59, and Highway 450 provide the best access; a few interior dirt roads are navigable only in dry weather. The grasslands, though, are most impressive away from the highways. Take a hike to get a real sense of the vast emptiness of this land. Stop by the District Forest Service Office in Douglas for maps, directions, and tips.

When conditions like tides and wave action are just so at this popular visitor attraction, the force of pounding surf being squeezed into a narrow slot of cliffside pink granite causes a boom that sounds like thunder and can send ocean spray up to 40 feet into the air—soaking observers standing nearby behind safety railings. Time your visit within an hour or two of high tide for the best chance to observe the phenomenon; at low tide, take the stairway down to a viewing platform for a peek at the water-carved walls of the tiny inlet. At the parking area on the opposite side of Ocean Drive, a gift shop where you can buy souvenirs as well as to-go snacks and drinks occupies a cottage-like structure that was the park's first "official" ranger station.

James Thurber once reflected, "I have lived in the East for nearly thirty years now, but many of my books prove that I am never very far away from Ohio in my thoughts, and that the clocks that strike in my dreams are often the clocks of Columbus." His restored boyhood home contains memorabilia and creations of the Columbus native, author, humorist, cartoonist, and playwright, and Thurber House sponsors a writer-in-residence program based in the house as well. It's at the edge of Downtown, a block east of the Columbus Museum of Art. Guided tours are available on Sundays for $2.50.

Thurmond Depot Visitor Center is a seasonal visitor center located inside a historic train depot. It's steps from the historic district, which includes restored retail stores and a bank.

One of the park's star attractions, Thurston Lava Tube (named "Nahuku" in Hawaiian) spans 600 feet underground. The massive cavelike tube, discovered in 1913, was formed by hot molten lava traveling through the channel. To reach the entrance of the tube, visitors descend a series of stairs surrounded by Hawaiian rain forest and the sounds of native birds. The Kilauea eruption of 2018 resulted in an almost two-year closure of the tube. During the closure, the drainage system was improved to reduce standing water on the cave’s floor, and electrical lines and lighting were replaced. Visitors should not touch the walls or delicate tree root systems that grow down through the ceiling. Parking is limited near the tube. If the lot is full, you can park at the Kilauea Iki Overlook parking lot, ½ mile away.

Established in 1987, one of Prosser's top mid-price wineries features Wade Wolfe's unusual blends, including a tropical fruit–forward white Pinot Gris–Viognier and a velvety Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Lemberger blend known as Dr. Wolfe's Family Red.

Hidden atop a hill above Route 3, this peaceful Land & Garden Preserve property invites with elegant formal perennial beds on land that was once the summer home of Boston landscape designer and engineer Joseph Henry Curtis. Mount Desert Island native Charles Savage, a self-taught landscape designer, was the garden's mastermind and named it for the property’s majestic white cedars, Thuja occidentalis. Welcoming the public since 1962, it's filled with colorful blooms throughout summer: there are delphiniums, daylilies, dahlias, heliotropes, snapdragons, and other vegetation. Walk the immaculately groomed grass paths or enjoy the view from a well-placed bench. You can also take a look at the sitting room in the circa-1914 Curtis home, which has a large collection of books compiled by Savage. Check the website for docent-led tours of the “lodge” as it’s known and special events like Garden Walks & Talks. There is a small parking area at the garden, or park below it on Route 3 and walk up on the Asticou Terraces trail.

Brand-new to the Magic Kingdom, this attraction will follow the same general track as its predecessor, Splash Mountain, but will feature songs and Audio-Animatronic characters from the beloved Princess and the Frog movie. Join Tiana on a trip through the bayou as she and her alligator friend, Louis, plan a one-of-a-kind Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans. Expect a good few twists, turns, and at least one major drop along the way. In addition, Princess Tiana will be expanding her restaurant to include Tiana's Foods, an employee-owned co-op and salt mine. The opening date for this ride was expected to be some time late in 2024; check the Walt Disney World website for updates on its status.

One of the oldest lighthouses on the Great Lakes looks out over the outlet of Lake Ontario. The Coast Guard left in 1981, and the building is now used as a youth hostel. Off-season reservations at the hostel must be made by e-mail at [email protected]. The lighthouse is 12 mi west of Clayton.

The brick building that houses this museum served as the main office of the Ticonderoga Pulp and Paper Company in the late 1800s. Exhibits here focus on the industrial history of Ticonderoga, which was known as a center for paper- and pencil-making.

One of New England’s best-known reversing falls—the phenomenon is created when the current “reverses” en route from bay to harbor—roils just below the U.S. 1 bridge linking Hancock and Sullivan. Frenchman Bay Conservancy’s 8-acre preserve (no dogs allowed) beside the falls on the Hancock side is a great picnic spot, with tables strung along the waterfront. Two hours before and two hours after low tide is the best time for viewing the falls. The preserve has a viewing platform, and placards explain the area's rich history and ecology. Granite was quarried nearby and shipped in schooners over the falls, once the site of a ferry and train terminal for Bar Harbor visitors. The mingling of fresh and salt water creates an environment that attracts wildlife, especially birds and waterfowl. Check the conservancy's website for information about free concerts at 6 pm on Mondays in the peak summer season—food trucks will be there. The website also lists hiking opportunities at its many other preserves in the region, from Ellsworth to the Schoodic Peninsula.

Opened by a third-generation apple farmer, this 55-acre orchard and artisan cidery is one of the most celebrated in the country, turning out several year-round sippers, including a semisweet cherry and crisp dry-hopped apple variety, along with numerous seasonal varieties. Try a sampler at the tasting room, which also has a big outdoor patio, bocce ball court, and an outdoor stage featuring live music.

Five miles of nature trails, boardwalks, and a cattail marsh make this wildlife refuge near the Lake Erie shore an ideal place for hiking, bird-watching, and picnics. The 264-acre preserve is part of the Buffalo Museum of Science.

Started on a five-generation-old family farm in 1995, Tiger Mountain Vineyards is known for unusual varietals of French and Portuguese grapes, such as Touriga Nacional and Tannat, as well as the native Norton grape—grown on the slopes of Tiger Mountain. Tastings are available for a small fee. Lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch are served on the weekends in The Vineyard Café, housed in a lovely restored barn. The tasting room frequently features live music and events; call ahead for the schedule.

On the northwest side of the island is 2,500 feet of both developed and undeveloped areas. Once Gulf-front, in recent years a sand spit known as Sand Dollar Island has formed, which means the stretch especially at the north end has become mud flats—great for birding. There's plenty of powdery sand farther south and across the lagoon that draws a broad base of fans for its playgrounds, butterfly garden, volleyball nets, and kayak and umbrella rentals. Beach wheelchairs are also available for free use. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

In the world's largest wooden structure, a former blimp hangar south of town displays a fine collection of vintage aircraft and vehicles, mostly from around the World War II era, as well as a vast trove of artifacts and memorabilia, including war uniforms, photos, and remains from the Hindenburg. The 20-story-high building is big enough to hold half a dozen football fields.

Don’t miss this short hike at the end of Kolob Canyons Road (keeping in mind that the final 2½ miles of the road are closed to vehicles—but not pedestrian or bike traffic—through at least early 2024). Covered with desert wildflowers in spring and early summer, it’s barely a mile round-trip on a sandy, relatively exposed plateau above the surrounding valleys. Get a good look at the Kolob Canyons “skyline,” including Shuntavi Butte in the shadow of 8,055-foot Timber Top Mountain. The last few hundred yards are a little rockier with a 100-foot ascent, but even kids and novice hikers shouldn’t have any trouble with it. At the picnic area at the trailhead, you might spy lizards, chipmunks, squirrels, and the occasional long-eared, black-tailed jackrabbit. Easy.

This museum highlights Forks's logging history since the 1870s; a garden and fire tower are also on the grounds.

This 50,000-square-foot food hall sports a rotating roster of counter-service stalls, representing 18 hand-picked Chicago eateries. Collected under one roof along with three bars, an outdoor terrace, and a working demo kitchen for chef-driven classes, it's a sort of EPCOT Center of Chicago food for those who don't have time to visit many different neighborhoods.

This is the most energetic part of New York City, a cacophony of flashing lights and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that many New Yorkers studiously avoid. Originally named after the New York Times (whose headquarters has since relocated to 8th Avenue), the area has seen many changes since the first subway line, which included a 42nd Street station, opened in 1904. The area was once a bastion of the city's unseemly side, but today it's a vibrant, family-friendly destination, with pedestrian-only plazas that line Broadway with tables, chairs, and granite benches. There’s no longer a visitor center here, since the Official NYC Information Center is down at 151 West 34th Street in Herald Square, with maps, brochures, coupons, and a bilingual staff.

The focus of the entertainment might have shifted over the years, but live shows are still the heart of Midtown's theater scene, and there are 40 Broadway theaters nearby. (A few of the most historic theaters are spotlighted in this chapter's introduction.) Learn about Broadway's history and architecture on a two-hour Times Square walking tour by Manhattan Walking Tours ( $50  Daily at 10:30 am  www.manhattanwalkingtour.com) or join the two-hour guided Inside Broadway tour ( $39  Daily at 4 pm  www.insidebroadwaytours.com) that leaves from the George M. Cohan statue at West 46th Street and Broadway.

Though somewhat out of place architecturally, this small and modern structure, made of travertine imported from Italy, is a jewel box. The free museum houses works by major European and American artists as well as a superb collection of Russian icons.

Soaring to 11,750 feet, Mount Timpanogos is the centerpiece of a wilderness area of the same name and towers over Timpanogos Cave National Monument along Highway 92 within American Fork Canyon. After a somewhat strenuous hike up the paved 1½-mile trail to the entrance, you can explore three caves connected by two man-made tunnels. Stalactites, stalagmites, and other formations make the three-hour round-trip hike and tour worth the effort. No refreshments are available on the trail or at the cave, and the cave temperature is 45°F throughout the year, so bring water and warm clothes. Although there's some lighting inside the caves, a flashlight will make your explorations more interesting; it will also come in handy if you're heading back down the trail after dusk. These popular tours often sell out; it's a good idea to book online in advance, especially on weekends.

This quirky and utterly fascinating homage to folk art, found art, and kitsch contains a world of miniature carved-wood characters. Its late founder, Ross Ward, spent more than 40 years carving and collecting the hundreds of figures that populate this cheerfully bizarre museum, including an animated miniature Western village, a Boot Hill cemetery, and a 1940s circus exhibit. Ragtime piano music, a 40-foot sailboat, and a life-size general store are other highlights. The walls surrounding this 22-room museum have been fashioned out of more than 50,000 glass bottles pressed into cement. As you might expect, the gift shop offers plenty of fun oddities.

Helmed by owner Susan Tinney, Tinney Contemporary displays contemporary paintings, photography, drawings, and beyond in a stylish space on 5th Avenue. The gallery offers full-service art consultation, from purchasing to installation, and participates in the First Saturday Downtown Art Crawl on the first Saturday of each month.

Few mountain drives can compare with this 59-mile road, especially its eastern half between Lee Vining and Olmstead Point. As you climb 3,200 feet to the 9,945-foot summit of Tioga Pass (Yosemite's sole eastern entrance for cars), you'll encounter broad vistas of the granite-splotched High Sierra and its craggy but hearty trees and shrubs. Past the bustling scene at Tuolumne Meadows, you'll see picturesque Tenaya Lake and then Olmsted Point, where you'll get your first peek at Half Dome. Driving Tioga Road one way takes approximately 1½ hours. Wildflowers bloom here in July and August. By November, the high-altitude road closes for the winter; it sometimes doesn't reopen until early June.